Communications between vehicle and charging system

Abstract

Methods, devices, and systems are provided for establishing communications between a vehicle and charging system. The communications may include charge request messages sent by or received from the vehicle defining charge particulars, such as, a charge type, charging locations, charging orientation, and/or other information corresponding to charging requirements for the requesting vehicle. The charging system can respond to the charge request messages accepting or denying the vehicle charging request. In response to accepting the request message, the charging system provides charge to the vehicle in accordance with the charge particulars.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for charging an electric vehicle, comprising:
 receiving, at a charging system, a charge request message from a vehicle; 
 determining, via a processor of the charging system, charging information contained in the charge request message, wherein the charging information includes charging requirements for charging the vehicle; 
 determining, via the processor of the charging system, to provide electrical charge to the vehicle via an electrical interconnection between the vehicle and the charging system in accordance with the charging requirements; 
 providing electrical charge to a power storage system of the vehicle via the charging system as part of a charging transaction; and 
 sending, across a wireless communication network, to a power tracking server details of the charging transaction and electrical charge provided to the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the charge request message includes a header portion and a payload portion and wherein the charging information is included in the payload portion of the charge request message. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical charge is provided while the vehicle is moving. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the charging information includes orientation information identifying a required orientation of the vehicle relative to the charging system when receiving the electrical charge while the vehicle is moving. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the charging information includes alignment control information identifying a vehicle control protocol for maintaining the required orientation of the vehicle relative to the charging system when receiving the electrical charge while the vehicle is moving. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 controlling, via the processor of the charging system, a position of the vehicle on a roadway while receiving the electrical charge and based on information in the vehicle control protocol. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 receiving, via the processor of the charging system, an end-of-charge message including a time when the power storage system of the vehicle is full. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the charging information includes charging location information identifying a location on a portion of the vehicle for receiving the electrical charge from the charging system. 
     
     
       9. A charging system server, comprising:
 a processor; and 
 a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 receive, at the charging system server, a charge request message from a vehicle; 
 determine charging information contained in the charge request message, wherein the charging information includes charging requirements for charging the vehicle; and 
 determine to provide electrical charge to the vehicle via an electrical interconnection between the vehicle and the charging system in accordance with the charging requirements and while the vehicle is moving as part of a charging transaction; and 
 send, across a wireless communication network, to a power tracking server details of the charging transaction and electrical charge provided to the vehicle. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The charging system server of  claim 9 , wherein the charge request message includes a header portion and a payload portion and wherein the charging information is included in the payload portion of the charge request message. 
     
     
       11. The charging system server of  claim 10 , wherein the charging information includes orientation information identifying a required orientation of the vehicle relative to the charging system when receiving the electrical charge while the vehicle is moving. 
     
     
       12. The charging system server of  claim 11 , wherein the charging information includes alignment control information identifying a vehicle control protocol for maintaining the required orientation of the vehicle relative to the charging system when receiving the electrical charge while the vehicle is moving. 
     
     
       13. The charging system server of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is further caused to control a position of the vehicle on a roadway while receiving the electrical charge and based on information in the vehicle control protocol. 
     
     
       14. The charging system server of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is further caused to receive an end-of-charge message including a time when a power storage system of the vehicle is full or nearing full charge. 
     
     
       15. The charging system server of  claim 14 , wherein the charging information includes charging location information identifying a location on a portion of the vehicle for receiving the electrical charge from the charging system. 
     
     
       16. A charging system, comprising:
 a charging system server, comprising:
 a processor; and 
 a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 receive, at the charging system server, a charge request message from a vehicle; 
 determine charging information contained in the charge request message, wherein the charging information includes charging requirements for charging the vehicle; and 
 determine to provide electrical charge to the vehicle via an electrical interconnection between the vehicle and the charging system in accordance with the charging requirements and while the vehicle is moving as part of a charging transaction; and 
 
 
 a charging device, wherein the charging device provides the electrical charge to a power storage system of the vehicle via the electrical interconnection, and wherein details of the charging transaction and electrical charge provided to the vehicle are sent, across a wireless communication network, to a power tracking server upon completion of the charging transaction. 
 
     
     
       17. The charging system of  claim 16 , wherein the charge request message includes a header portion and a payload portion and wherein the charging information is included in the payload portion of the charge request message. 
     
     
       18. The charging system of  claim 17 , wherein the charging information includes orientation information identifying a required orientation of the vehicle relative to the charging system when receiving the electrical charge while the vehicle is moving. 
     
     
       19. The charging system of  claim 18 , wherein the charging information includes alignment control information identifying a vehicle control protocol for maintaining the required orientation of the vehicle relative to the charging system when receiving the electrical charge while the vehicle is moving, and wherein the processor is further caused to control a position of the vehicle on a roadway while receiving the electrical charge based on information in the vehicle control protocol. 
     
     
       20. The charging system of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is further caused to receive an end-of-charge message including a time when a power storage system of the vehicle is full or nearing full charge, and wherein the charging device ceases providing the electrical charge to the power storage system of the vehicle via the electrical interconnection when the power storage system of the vehicle is full.